--- a/solving-equations.org Fri Apr 16 16:16:13 2010 +0530
+++ b/solving-equations.org Sat Apr 17 12:50:42 2010 +0530
@@ -13,13 +13,17 @@
of polynomials and other non-linear equations. In the process, we
shall look at defining functions.
+ We would be using concepts related to arrays which we have covered
+ in previous session
+
Let's begin with solving linear equations.
{show a slide of the equations}
We shall use the solve function, to solve this system of linear
- equations. Solve requires the coefficients and the constants to
+ equations. Solve requires the coefficients and the constants to
be in the form of matrices to solve the system of linear equations.
- We begin by entering the coefficients and the constants as
+ Lets start ipython -pylab interpreter.
+ Then we begin by entering the coefficients and the constants as
matrices.
In []: A = array([[3,2,-1],
@@ -33,8 +37,9 @@
Type x, to look at the solution obtained.
- Next, we verify the solution by obtaining a product of A and x,
- and comparing it with b. Note that we should use the dot function
+ Equation is of the form Ax = b, so we verify the solution by
+ obtaining a matrix product of A and x, and comparing it with b.
+ As we have covered earlier that we should use the dot function
here, and not the * operator.
In []: Ax = dot(A, x)
@@ -60,22 +65,26 @@
In []: coeffs = [1, -5, 6]
In []: roots(coeffs)
- As you can see, roots returns the coefficients in an array.
+ As you can see, roots returns the result in an array.
+ # It even works for polynomials with imaginary solutions.
+ # roots([1, 1, 1])
- To find the roots of any arbitrary function, we use the fsolve
+ To find the roots of non linear equations, we use the fsolve
function. We shall use the function sin(x)+cos^2(x) as our
- function, in this tutorial. First, of all we import fsolve, since it
- is not already available to us.
+ function, in this tutorial. This function is not part of pylab
+ package which we import during starting, so we will have to
+ import it. It is part of scipy package.
In []: from scipy.optimize import fsolve
- Now, let's look at the arguments of fsolve using fsolve?
+ Now, let's look at the documentation of fsolve using fsolve?
In []: fsolve?
- The first argument, func, is a python function that takes atleast
- one argument. So, we should now define a python function for the
- given mathematical expression sin(x)+cos^2(x).
+ As mentioned in docs the first argument, func, is a python
+ function that takes atleast one argument. So, we should now
+ define a python function for the given mathematical expression
+ sin(x)+cos^2(x).
The second argument, x0, is the initial estimate of the roots of
the function. Based on this initial guess, fsolve returns a root.
@@ -86,16 +95,21 @@
given mathematical expression (sin(x)+cos^2(x)) for a each input.
In []: def f(x):
- return sin(x)+cos(x)*cos(x)
+ ... return sin(x)+cos(x)*cos(x)
+ ...
+ ...
+ hit return thrice for coming out of function definition.
def, is a key word in python that tells the interpreter that a
function definition is beginning. f, here, is the name of the
function and x is the lone argument of the function. The whole
- definition of the function is done with in an indented block. Our
- function f has just one line in it's definition.
+ definition of the function is done with in an indented block same
+ as for loops and conditional statements we have used in our
+ earlier sessions. Our function f has just one line in it's
+ definition.
You can test your function, by calling it with an argument for
- which the output value is know, say x = 0. We can see that
+ which the output value is known, say x = 0. We can see that
sin(x) + cos^2(x) has a value of 1, when x = 0.
Let's check our function definition, by calling it with 0 as an
@@ -111,8 +125,9 @@
In []: fsolve(f, 0)
fsolve has returned a root of sin(x)+cos^2(x) that is close to 0.
- That brings us to the end of this tutorial on solving linear
- equations, finding roots of polynomials and other non-linear
+ That brings us to the end of this tutorial. We have covered solution
+ of linear equations, finding roots of polynomials and other
+ non-linear
equations. We have also learnt how to define functions and call
them.